Unified SAST benchmark: Compare AI-driven and traditional static analyzers

In recent years, the growing need for robust security in software development has driven the adoption of static source code analysis tools to detect vulnerabilities early in the software lifecycle. While traditional static analyzers have been widely used, the success of AI in other domains suggests that AI-driven approaches can enhance detection accuracy and reduce false positives. However, a standardized benchmark for comparing AI-based and conventional static analysis tools remains lacking. In this paper, we present an enhanced version of an existing benchmark, extended to support comprehensive comparisons between AI-powered and traditional static code analyzers. The current version includes a dataset of real-world JavaScript vulnerabilities, structured as vulnerable and fixed code pairs—an approach shown to be critical for realistic model evaluation. While the benchmark currently focuses on JavaScript, it is designed to be extensible to other languages in future work. We also introduce a sample static analyzer powered by an AI model to demonstrate practical usage and show how other researchers can easily integrate their own models. Overall, our contributions aim to support reproducible, meaningful evaluation and foster progress toward more secure software development practices.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
SoftwareX
Published
2025-09-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2025.102336
Primary Topic
Data Quality and Management
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Unified SAST benchmark: Compare AI-driven and traditional static analyzers

Péter Hegedűs, Tamás Viszkok
SoftwareX
Data Quality and Management
article

Unified SAST benchmark: Compare AI-driven and traditional static analyzers

Péter Hegedűs, Tamás Viszkok
article en

Abstract

In recent years, the growing need for robust security in software development has driven the adoption of static source code analysis tools to detect vulnerabilities early in the software lifecycle. While traditional static analyzers have been widely used, the success of AI in other domains suggests that AI-driven approaches can enhance detection accuracy and reduce false positives. However, a standardized benchmark for comparing AI-based and conventional static analysis tools remains lacking. In this paper, we present an enhanced version of an existing benchmark, extended to support comprehensive comparisons between AI-powered and traditional static code analyzers. The current version includes a dataset of real-world JavaScript vulnerabilities, structured as vulnerable and fixed code pairs—an approach shown to be critical for realistic model evaluation. While the benchmark currently focuses on JavaScript, it is designed to be extensible to other languages in future work. We also introduce a sample static analyzer powered by an AI model to demonstrate practical usage and show how other researchers can easily integrate their own models. Overall, our contributions aim to support reproducible, meaningful evaluation and foster progress toward more secure software development practices.

SoftwareXVol. 31
University of Szeged (HU)
European Commission, Nemzeti Kutatási, Fejlesztési és Innovaciós Alap
Openalex Percentile: Top 72%
Data Quality and Management
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Unified SAST benchmark: Compare AI-driven and traditional static analyzers — Péter Hegedűs, Tamás Viszkok · SoftwareX (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS